The triple homicide occurred at 11:45 p.m. Friday inside a home in the 3100 block of South Laurel Street, officials said. Two others were injured, but both are expected to survive, neighbors said.

"This was just brutal and cold," said a relative who spoke on condition of anonymity because she feared for her safety. "It was cruel, and there was no reason for it."

A 6-year-old boy was also in the house at the time of the shooting, authorities and witnesses said. The boy escaped and fled to a neighbor's residence. He is now staying with a relative, family members said.

Witnesses described the gunmen as two bald Latino men in their 30s, one short and one tall. Both were wearing "mostly blue" clothing with jeans and tennis shoes, witnesses said. They fled to an older black pickup parked across the street and drove north on South Laurel Street toward Michael Avenue.

About two dozen people had gathered outside the victims' home for a candlelight vigil by 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. A neighbor has set up a table outside her home on South Laurel Street where donations are being accepted to help the family with funeral costs.

Relatives want the killers to be caught.

"It would answer a lot of questions," said the woman who spoke on condition of anonymity. "Why them? They're good people. They stayed to themselves. They never bothered anyone."

Anyone with information is asked to contact the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office at (209) 468-4400. Cellphone users can anonymously text information to 274637 (CRIMES) by entering the keyword "SJSO" followed by their tip.